you hear?"

"I could not catch all they said; but I gathered that they had a
delightful ride, that Mr. Blake had made a declaration of love to
Gertrude."

"And her answer?"

"I could not catch that; she spoke too low. But I should think it was
favourable, for there was a great deal of whispering, and after a while
I heard something about that dreadful man being Mr. Blake's enemy."

"Ah! How did they know that?"

"I gathered that Mr. Blake told her. Look here, Herod Voltaire; you are
playing a losing game."

"I playing a losing game? Do not fear. I'll win, I'll win, or--or--"
Here he paused, as if a thought struck him.

"Why don't you get an influence over her, as you did over Blake? Then
you could manage easily." "I cannot. I've tried; her nature is not
susceptible; besides, even if I got such a power, I could not use it.
You cannot force love, and the very nature of the case would make such a
thing impossible. Stay! You know Miss Forrest well, don't you, her
education, and her disposition?"

"I've known her long enough."

"Well, tell me whether I am correct in my estimate of her character. If
I am, I do not fear. She's very clear-headed, sharp, and clever; a hater
of humbug, a despiser of cant."

"True enough; but what's this got to do with the matter?"

"In spite of this, however," went on Voltaire without heeding Miss
Staggles' query, "she has a great deal of romance in her nature; has a
strong love for mystery, so much so that she is in some things a trifle
superstitious."

"I can't say as to that, but I should think you are correct."

"Then she's a young lady of very strong likes and dislikes, but at
bottom is of a very affectionate nature."

"Affectionate to nearly every one but me," muttered Miss Staggles.

"She is intensely proud--"

"As Lucifer!" interrupted Miss Staggles. "This is her great weakness,"
went on Voltaire. "Her pride will overcome her judgment, and because of
it she will do things for which she will afterwards be sorry. Is this
true?"

"True to the letter. You must be a wizard, Herod Voltaire, or you
couldn't have summed up her disposition so correctly."

"Her sense of honour is very great. She would sacrifice her happiness to
do what was thought to be honourable."

"I believe she would."

"Then my path is marked out," said he, savagely.

From that time I could catch nothing of what was said, although they
conversed for five minutes at least. But it was in whispers,